Some 20 speakers addressed the Human Services Committee, with all but one urging aldermen to move forward on the resolution.

 The lone dissenter questioned the timing of the issue, rather than sentiments expressed against continued U.S. involvement.

 Bonnie Wilson, president of the Democratic Party of Evanston, presented committee members with a proposed resolution endorsed by a collection of local groups.

 The 20-clause proposal states "that the City Council of Evanston, on behalf of its citizens, urges the United States government to commence an orderly and rapid withdrawal of United States military personnel and all private security forces from Iraq to prevent further casualties, both American and Iraqi, resulting from a misguided and unjustified war."

 Besides the city's Democratic party, groups endorsing the proposal include Evanston Neighbors for Peace, the North Suburban Peace Initiative, the Evanston Mennonite Church, Lake Street Church, Women in Black and CodePink-Women for Peace. The city's Human Relations Commission also supports the resolution.

 In urging approval, speakers cited the basis on which the war was initiated.

 "The military action began with deceptions and lies -- there was no evidence of weapons of mass destruction," said Autumn Franger, speaking on behalf of the Lake Street Church on Peace and Justice Committee. "There were no al-Qaida cells in Iraq. Both of these arguments were used to keep the voters from questioning military involvement in Iraq."

 Other speakers called on committee members to remember lessons of the past.

 Dickelle Fonda, representing Peace Now, said she was a college student at the time of the Vietnam War protests, and kept a sign in her window tallying the number of deaths in that conflict.

 "For the past year I have had another sign, this time in front yard of my home in Evanston," she told committee members. "Today it reads 15,000-42,000 wounded, 1,790 American and 100,000-plus Iraqi lives lost. I update it weekly.

 Good conscience

 She said that "in good conscience," she doesn't want her lawn sign "to look like my sign from 35 years ago before I speak out and take action."

 The speakers also asked the committee to consider the toll on the current and future generations, including the psychic injuries that result from involvement in an unjust conflict.

 As a result of the "so-called justice that had to be done after 9/11," said Anya Cordell, a resident of Skokie-Evanston. "We are creating more Timothy McVeighs. We are creating an endless cycle of things that undermine everything we care about in life," she said.

 The local level is an important place to start such a movement, because of the impact felt by Evanston and other communities, other speakers said.

 Committee members voted 4-1 in favor of backing a resolution, directing staff to work with the material submitted in drafting supportive language.

 Alderman Steven J. Bernstein, 4th Ward, predicted that council support is a given, noting that aldermen previously supported a resolution urging the U.S. not to initiate the war at the onset.

 On the other hand, "Evanston is an island," he said, noting that U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-9th, of Evanston had opposed the war from the start.